They were a proud and arrogant bunch.

If they didn’t join forces to help now, they would despise themselves for it.

"Damn it!"

Fatty Qin spat out a wad of bloody phlegm and led the remaining three in a charge toward Xia Tianzhong. Ever the sly opportunist, he planned to use the distraction to sneak behind the Demon-Horned Bull, dash to the stone platform, and grab the Bone Marrow Cleansing Liquid.

As for the shame and insults from others? Once he drank the Bone Marrow Cleansing Liquid, his power would surge, and he would surpass every other student. Then, all the mockery and curses would vanish.

’I’m not that naive.’

’Besides, other people were already trying to save Chu Lingguang. One more person helping wouldn’t make a difference, and one less wouldn’t be missed.’

Up ahead, Chu Lingguang watched the Demon-Horned Bull’s hooves smash through his spear’s defense. It wasn’t that his Spear Technique was too slow; his Flying Leaf Lotus Spear was at the Perfection realm. While its first form, Thrust, couldn’t completely cover the three-foot radius around him, it came very close.

The Demon-Horned Bull’s hooves were already riddled with countless red pinpricks. The beast’s frame was incredibly tough, its defenses far exceeding even a human expert who had unlocked their Bone Aspect.

Chu Lingguang’s Lightning Spear struck again and again. Although each thrust pierced its hide and slammed into the Demon-Horned Bull’s leg bones, he couldn’t stop the advance of its hooves, let alone shatter the bone.

As the hooves drew ever closer, Chu Lingguang took a small step back. He then swept his Long Spear horizontally toward the Demon-Horned Bull’s legs. As the spear moved, it gathered the Wind and Wave Power. Simultaneously, a roar like a tempestuous sea—his Qi Sea—erupted from the weapon, so loud it even drowned out the elephantine cry from within his own body.

He then activated Double Potential Energy Superposition, pouring all his Qi Power into the strike.

At this crucial moment, Chu Lingguang held nothing back.

His Qi Sea roared as the power of the Divine Image poured forth.

But there wasn’t enough time to unleash the fifth level of his Dharma Aspect: the Qi Phase.

Even so, as his Long Spear swung, the multiple layers of power erupting at once created a terrifying boom.

The resonance between his flesh and his Spear Technique transmitted a unique vibration; for that particular Thrust, Chu Lingguang hadn’t needed his Sea of Qi Power at all.

The Thrust of the Flying Leaf Lotus Spear, however, was empowered by Potential Energy, which could fuse with the power of the Divine Image and the Qi Sea to drastically increase his Attack Power.

But Chu Lingguang had been holding it in reserve, waiting for the perfect moment.

The moment had come. With everyone attacking in concert, the Demon-Horned Bull’s ears were occupied by Xia Tianzhong, Zhao Rushuang, and the others.

This spear strike, charged with the full power of his Qi Sea and the Divine Image, and amplified by Double Potential Energy Superposition, possessed destructive force and Attack Power far beyond anything he had shown before.

Not even Xia Tianzhong could compare.

"BANG!"

The Long Spear slammed into the Demon-Horned Bull’s shins. The terrifying force made the beast jerk its legs back. Through the wide net of his powerful Spiritual Sense, Chu Lingguang heard the sound of bone cracking. He could almost see the meridians overlying the bone snap and give way all at once.

"MOO..."

The Demon-Horned Bull shrieked in agony. Its ears trembled, emitting high-frequency waves. Fatty Qin tried to use the chaos to slip behind the beast.

The high-frequency waves struck him instead, giving him a splitting headache. He stumbled and cracked his head against the stone wall, then fled out of the cave, bleeding.

"SHINK!"

A Lightning Spear shot out of the cave and embedded itself in the sand and gravel right in front of Fatty Qin.

Chu Lingguang’s blow had battered the Demon-Horned Bull’s front legs so badly it could no longer rear up. But the force of the impact and the recoil sent his Long Spear flying from his grip.

The webbing of his hand had split open and was bleeding freely. Now bare-handed, he stood only two or three meters from the Demon-Horned Bull.

"Qi Sea?"

Poisonous Snake exclaimed in shock.

The roar of the Qi Sea from Chu Lingguang’s strike had been deafening. He and many others were completely caught off guard.

Off to the side, Xu Zhongguo and Yun Hong exchanged a look, both frowning. Their eyes were filled with shock and confusion. Their Spiritual Senses were strong; in addition to the deafening roar of the Qi Sea, they thought they had also heard an elephantine cry—the sound of the Divine Image’s power.

But the chaos of the moment and the sheer speed of the exchange made it impossible for even them to be certain if they had truly heard the cry of the Divine Image.

"Qi Sea?"

Xia Tianzhong managed to land another cut on the Demon-Horned Bull’s left ear. Though he failed to slice it off, the vibrating waves noticeably weakened.

He was dumbfounded to see Chu Lingguang’s strike nearly bring the Demon-Horned Bull to its knees. He, Zhao Rushuang, and the others had all heard the deafening roar of the Qi Sea.

’But why is his Qi Sea Power even stronger than mine?’

"MOO!"

The Demon-Horned Bull only faltered for a moment, its front legs catching themselves at the last second. It didn’t kneel. With barely a pause, it lunged, aiming its horns straight for Chu Lingguang’s chest.

With his Long Spear gone and the horns closing in, Chu Lingguang shot his bare hands forward, clamping them down hard on the Demon-Horned Bull’s horns.

He looked like a strongman of old in a gladiatorial arena, trying to wrestle the head of a primordial bull to the ground.

"TRUMPET!" 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

At the same time, a terrifying elephantine cry erupted from deep within Chu Lingguang’s body, merging with the roar of his Qi Sea.

"SCREEECH!"

Chu Lingguang’s feet slid across the ground, his heels digging deep into the sand and gravel. His hands held fast to the Demon-Horned Bull’s horns. After being pushed back a meter, he finally managed to halt the beast’s charge.

"This..."

Everyone stared, dumbfounded.

"The power of the Divine Image!"

Yun Hong and Xu Zhongguo exclaimed together.

"The second level of Dragon Elephant power, the power of the Divine Image..."

Xia Tianzhong was utterly stupefied.

"Qi Sea, Divine Image, Chu Lingguang, he..."